Ever been through a season of joy then comes a season of despair. Ever being hopeful then suddenly your hopes and dreams just shatter when something terrible happens? Well I’m going through that now. Before you go on I suggest you read my posts on Hebrews 12:1-3 first.
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
The verse above speaks of three aspects; hope, affliction and prayer. I finally understood the meaning of this simple yet rich verse when I’m going through this hard time now. God revealed to me the richness of this verse and I’m going to share it with you.
We have to understand that hope, affliction and prayer comes together. That’s what I found out this few days. After the prayer meetings at Sister Kim’s house on New Year’s Day, all of us who were there praying were fired up. We saw a year of many actions and great movements of God. We dedicated our lives back to God and allowed Him to start a new work in us. Above all this, to sum it up, we saw hope. Thus we were: Joyful in hope.
After seeing hope we rejoiced and were filled with fire to start off the year. But in just a matter of few hours time I saw affliction. Problems started arising in my life, not going to specify the area it’s affecting. The contributors of these problems were partly because of my own lack of wisdom in doing things and also the spears of the enemy thrown at me.
At the first taste of affliction or the problems I’m having, God brought me to this Scripture, James 1:2-4 (Will post another post on it, try to catch it, it’s a really good verse.) and He encouraged me to take the heat and persevere through. So the second aspect of this verse comes in: Be patient in affliction.
But that’s not all. God doesn’t just give you hopes and then allows problems to come - (which are meant for good: Romans 8:28, James 1:2-4, Job 23:10.) – and just leave you to deal with it yourself. No He’s a loving God. He wants to help us, that is why the third aspect was mentioned: Faithful in prayer. This string of problems and affliction that is twirling itself around me now calls for prayer. And not just one prayer but A LOT of prayers, that is why we are called to be faithful in prayer. I believe God will rescue me in due time if only I continue to have my eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3) and be faithful in prayer.
A time will come for you people when problems will just flood into your life, be prepared now and when that happens . . .
. . . . . . .
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Job 23:10
But He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Praying with you,
Zlwin Chew
Friday, January 5, 2007
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Bring It On . . .
I have been having a lot of problems these few days. The enemy is at his very best to bring me down. I urge you people to keep me in your prayers.
To the forces and principalities unseen, I say to YOU,
"BRING IT ON ! ! !"
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction. Faithful in prayer.
To the forces and principalities unseen, I say to YOU,
"BRING IT ON ! ! !"
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction. Faithful in prayer.
Monday, January 1, 2007
A GREAT START TO A NEW YEAR ! ! !
Blessed New Year everyone! Last night afew of us overnighted at Sister Kim's house. Thanks Sis Kim! *muax! Those who stayed were Me, Jason, Janielle, Shannon, Sarah, Cerdwin and Joyce and of course Sister Kim herself.First we chatted about BGR (Boy-Girl Relationship) and we heard from the girls side on this subject and the guys shared too. It was interesting to hear what the girls think of guys who flirts haha.
Then the girls went to their room and the boys (me and Jason) went to our room. We did not sleep yet, by the way it was 4am in the morning January 2007 which is today. Jason and I used that time to pray and seek God.
We felt that it is important to spend some time with God at the beginning of the year to ask for strength and faith to last the whole year through. So we prayed for a number of stuff. We were shouting and screaming all the way through and the girls told us that they could hear us. Well, prayer has to be aggressive for when we pray, we are actually going into a spiritual battle. So we shouted and lost half a lung (literally haha) God really really did came and touched us. We committed our lives back to God this morning 5am something and when we finally finished our groaning prayer, it was already 6.20am in the morning! We actually prayed for 2 hours and 10minutes.
I'm not drawing your attention to how long we prayed but I'm drawing your attention to how desperate were we in prayer. We wanted God to come back into our lives and help us through all the troubles that are coming. We cried out to Him with all our might to renew our strength and to help us run this race and to fall off track. God heard, and He answered...
Then we went to sleep at 6.40 something and woke up at 11am. At 12.30 we had another prayer meeting, this time with the girls. We started at 12.30pm with each person sharing a Scripture from the Bible. And we started praying, at first I told them that we would have a short time of prayer but the "short" went to "long" haha. But it was awesome! We prayed and prayed and prayed and pressed in. We prayed for numerous stuff: for God to help us be fishers of men, to give us a passion for the lost, to help us run the race, to teach us to love one another with love, and we ended by praying for one another. It was 3.10pm in the afternoon when we ended. What a great way of starting the new year 2007!!!
Matthew 18:19-20
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you asked for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
____________________________________________________________________
I JUST CUT MY HAIR ! ! !
BEFORE
.jpg)
AFTER
I HATE MY NEW HAIR STYLE ! ! !
Then the girls went to their room and the boys (me and Jason) went to our room. We did not sleep yet, by the way it was 4am in the morning January 2007 which is today. Jason and I used that time to pray and seek God.
We felt that it is important to spend some time with God at the beginning of the year to ask for strength and faith to last the whole year through. So we prayed for a number of stuff. We were shouting and screaming all the way through and the girls told us that they could hear us. Well, prayer has to be aggressive for when we pray, we are actually going into a spiritual battle. So we shouted and lost half a lung (literally haha) God really really did came and touched us. We committed our lives back to God this morning 5am something and when we finally finished our groaning prayer, it was already 6.20am in the morning! We actually prayed for 2 hours and 10minutes.
I'm not drawing your attention to how long we prayed but I'm drawing your attention to how desperate were we in prayer. We wanted God to come back into our lives and help us through all the troubles that are coming. We cried out to Him with all our might to renew our strength and to help us run this race and to fall off track. God heard, and He answered...
Then we went to sleep at 6.40 something and woke up at 11am. At 12.30 we had another prayer meeting, this time with the girls. We started at 12.30pm with each person sharing a Scripture from the Bible. And we started praying, at first I told them that we would have a short time of prayer but the "short" went to "long" haha. But it was awesome! We prayed and prayed and prayed and pressed in. We prayed for numerous stuff: for God to help us be fishers of men, to give us a passion for the lost, to help us run the race, to teach us to love one another with love, and we ended by praying for one another. It was 3.10pm in the afternoon when we ended. What a great way of starting the new year 2007!!!
Matthew 18:19-20
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you asked for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
____________________________________________________________________
I JUST CUT MY HAIR ! ! !
BEFORE
.jpg)
AFTER
I HATE MY NEW HAIR STYLE ! ! !
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Adios to 2006 and here I come, 2007 !
Come 12am midnight tonight will be the NEW YEAR already. We are leaving the past and looking forward to the future. Many things need to be changed as we look back and see our mistakes and flaws.
Many seasons will come in our life - seasons of joy, seasons of sorrows, seasons of growth, seasons of unfruitfulness, seasons of testing, seasons of rejoicing, seasons of trouble, and seasons of peace – but whatever seasons we go through, know that God is always by your side to pull you through. We are told to be prepared in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). Go through all the hard seasons in your life with perseverance, having our eyes fixed on Jesus all the time.
I have made a few pledges for the year 2007. Whether I will be able to fulfill all of them or not depend on my faith in working with God. I want to share a few of them with you:
1. Grow closer to God
2. Study hard and do well in SPM
3. Be a testimony wherever I go
4. Share the Gospel to as many as I can
5. Go Fishing
My personal verses for the year ahead are Jeremiah 29:11-14 and Hebrews 12:1-3. I know that there will be a lot more challenges in my life and that a certainty. I will not run away from them, instead I will go through them with God’s help. My prayer is that I will grow stronger in my relationship with God and continue to be used by Him.
To do well in my studies is a very hard thing but what I need is discipline. I’m praying that I will not only be disciplined in my devotion but also my studies because they are my priorities as a student and teenager.
I want to share my faith to as many people as possible and I pray that you people will do the same. Isn’t it inhumane and totally WRONG if you have a remedy for AIDS and you don’t want to share it to others so they might get saved too? So it’s wrong to hold the remedy for sin if you know and have it with you. So let us all be so passionate for souls next year and start telling people about Jesus Christ.
My prayer for all of you out there is that you will continue to run the race with perseverance and having your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. Do not fall out of the race but go through each and every obstacle by faith and perseverance. Go touch lives and change lives, but first lead a transformed life yourself. Be fishers of men.
Let me quickly share with you a little bit more about The Race (for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, read my previous few posts on Hebrews 12:1-3)
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
God is telling us to run in such a way as to get the prize. But He does not mean that we be selfish and don’t care about our fellow brothers and sisters in the race. Paul the apostle who wrote this verse didn’t mean that this race we are running, only one of us can get the prize, no, in fact ALL can get the prize. He just used it as an example.
The main point in this verse is this: we have to run this race with DESPERATION. Like world class athletes who want to win the gold medal so desperately in the Olympics, we should be like them. We have to be desperate enough in order to finish the race. If one is not desperate to win, he might as well not come into the race. But since all of us are in it, RUN with DESPERATION.
We must also have our eyes fixed at the RIGHT prize. If we fix our eyes on wealth, we run towards discontentment. If we fix our eyes towards fame, we run towards trouble. If we seek our eyes on lust, we run towards sin. All this leads us to dead ends BUT there is one that leads us to joy.
If only we fix our eyes Jesus, we run towards joy, love, peace, contentment, comfort, shelter... and SALVATION. So we need to see to it that we have our eyes fixed on because where our eyes are on, that’s where we will go. For example, if we have our eyes on a girl you like, we would think of her day and night, we would sacrifice our time to spend time with her, we would do anything she asks, we would want to be with her forever, we would be all over her, her, her, and her alone. So if we have our eyes on Jesus, we will then be able to know we are running into His arms. So run as in ways of how desperate are you to be with Jesus. Don’t quit the race.
So for the year 2007,
LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS and RUN THE RACE...
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us RUN with perseverance the RACE marked out before us.
LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Running with you,
Zlwin Chew
Many seasons will come in our life - seasons of joy, seasons of sorrows, seasons of growth, seasons of unfruitfulness, seasons of testing, seasons of rejoicing, seasons of trouble, and seasons of peace – but whatever seasons we go through, know that God is always by your side to pull you through. We are told to be prepared in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). Go through all the hard seasons in your life with perseverance, having our eyes fixed on Jesus all the time.
I have made a few pledges for the year 2007. Whether I will be able to fulfill all of them or not depend on my faith in working with God. I want to share a few of them with you:
1. Grow closer to God
2. Study hard and do well in SPM
3. Be a testimony wherever I go
4. Share the Gospel to as many as I can
5. Go Fishing
My personal verses for the year ahead are Jeremiah 29:11-14 and Hebrews 12:1-3. I know that there will be a lot more challenges in my life and that a certainty. I will not run away from them, instead I will go through them with God’s help. My prayer is that I will grow stronger in my relationship with God and continue to be used by Him.
To do well in my studies is a very hard thing but what I need is discipline. I’m praying that I will not only be disciplined in my devotion but also my studies because they are my priorities as a student and teenager.
I want to share my faith to as many people as possible and I pray that you people will do the same. Isn’t it inhumane and totally WRONG if you have a remedy for AIDS and you don’t want to share it to others so they might get saved too? So it’s wrong to hold the remedy for sin if you know and have it with you. So let us all be so passionate for souls next year and start telling people about Jesus Christ.
My prayer for all of you out there is that you will continue to run the race with perseverance and having your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. Do not fall out of the race but go through each and every obstacle by faith and perseverance. Go touch lives and change lives, but first lead a transformed life yourself. Be fishers of men.
Let me quickly share with you a little bit more about The Race (for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, read my previous few posts on Hebrews 12:1-3)
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
God is telling us to run in such a way as to get the prize. But He does not mean that we be selfish and don’t care about our fellow brothers and sisters in the race. Paul the apostle who wrote this verse didn’t mean that this race we are running, only one of us can get the prize, no, in fact ALL can get the prize. He just used it as an example.
The main point in this verse is this: we have to run this race with DESPERATION. Like world class athletes who want to win the gold medal so desperately in the Olympics, we should be like them. We have to be desperate enough in order to finish the race. If one is not desperate to win, he might as well not come into the race. But since all of us are in it, RUN with DESPERATION.
We must also have our eyes fixed at the RIGHT prize. If we fix our eyes on wealth, we run towards discontentment. If we fix our eyes towards fame, we run towards trouble. If we seek our eyes on lust, we run towards sin. All this leads us to dead ends BUT there is one that leads us to joy.
If only we fix our eyes Jesus, we run towards joy, love, peace, contentment, comfort, shelter... and SALVATION. So we need to see to it that we have our eyes fixed on because where our eyes are on, that’s where we will go. For example, if we have our eyes on a girl you like, we would think of her day and night, we would sacrifice our time to spend time with her, we would do anything she asks, we would want to be with her forever, we would be all over her, her, her, and her alone. So if we have our eyes on Jesus, we will then be able to know we are running into His arms. So run as in ways of how desperate are you to be with Jesus. Don’t quit the race.
So for the year 2007,
LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS and RUN THE RACE...
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us RUN with perseverance the RACE marked out before us.
LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Running with you,
Zlwin Chew
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Let Us Fix Our Eyes On . . .
JESUS
Hebrews 12:2-3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
An author is a person who writes something, he is the beginning of the book or article he is writing. And an author is also the finisher or perfecter of his work; he finishes his work and brings it to completion. And a good author never leaves his work done halfway, and this good author is Jesus Christ.
The word author in this Scripture can mean writer, originator, starter, the beginning. Perfecter can mean finisher, refiner, the end. This verse tells us that Jesus is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith.
Let’s look at the verse before this which is Hebrews 12:1
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us.
We are told that we are in the race (I’ve posted an article about this race in the post before this, read it before reading this.) and this race needs perseverance, and the next verse (Hebrews 12:2) tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Jesus is the reason we started the race and this is a race of faith for it is not physical but spiritual. So this makes Jesus the starter of our faith to run the race, and He is also the finisher. (Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this; that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion...)
This verse (Philippians 1:6) assures us that Jesus will carry us on to completion, in this sense, carry our faith on to completion and to help us finish this race we run. BUT here’s the catch! What must we do in order for Jesus to help us finish this race? The answer is in the verse itself, “Let us fix our eyes in Jesus”.
Why? Why on Jesus? What can we learn from Him?
The verse goes on to say, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This tells us that we must use Jesus as our example and follow what He did. This is what He did and this verse says it clearly: Jesus’ mission on earth was to die on the cross and He knew that He will face a certain and a painful death on the cross. And also He knew that He will be put to shame on that cross. BUT He saw something AHEAD! Jesus saw a JOY ahead of the cross, and that is the joy of seeing His children being redeemed from death. Jesus endured the cross and He MANAGED to do so was because He saw a hope, a joy. Therefore He was exalted and sat down with God.
Verse 13 – (Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.)
To consider Him is to think about and weigh His worth. Here we are told to consider, to think about Jesus and what He did weigh His suffering. Jesus endured opposition from sinful men, and from men He loves! How dreadful it is for Jesus’ heart!
So why are we called to consider Jesus? Read on, (so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.) Bingo! We are told to think of Him, think of how He overcame His biggest hurdle and stumbling block, think about how He went through all these even though He received oppositions from men He loves! FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS so that we will NOT GROW WEARY and LOSE HEART in this race we are running.
Too many people have ran the race half way and grew weary and therefore lost heart. Too many people... And this saddens me a lot... Let us now make up our heart and mind to fix our eyes on Jesus so that we will not run blindly and aimlessly. Let us make Jesus as our aim, not wealth, not fame, not selfish love, not worldly desire, but Jesus and Jesus alone. Let us not grow weary and lose heart but let us run this race with perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4) Let us help our fellow brothers and sisters that have fallen to get back on their feet again (James 5:19)
For the year ahead,
My dear brothers and sisters, let us fix our eyes on Jesus...
God bless all.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Running with you,
Zlwin Chew
Ok ok blame me, I love to take pics - of myself... haha.
BLEK ! to 2006 and YAY ! to 2007!
At your face ! ! !
Run run run!
Hebrews 12:2-3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
An author is a person who writes something, he is the beginning of the book or article he is writing. And an author is also the finisher or perfecter of his work; he finishes his work and brings it to completion. And a good author never leaves his work done halfway, and this good author is Jesus Christ.
The word author in this Scripture can mean writer, originator, starter, the beginning. Perfecter can mean finisher, refiner, the end. This verse tells us that Jesus is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith.
Let’s look at the verse before this which is Hebrews 12:1
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us.
We are told that we are in the race (I’ve posted an article about this race in the post before this, read it before reading this.) and this race needs perseverance, and the next verse (Hebrews 12:2) tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Jesus is the reason we started the race and this is a race of faith for it is not physical but spiritual. So this makes Jesus the starter of our faith to run the race, and He is also the finisher. (Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this; that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion...)
This verse (Philippians 1:6) assures us that Jesus will carry us on to completion, in this sense, carry our faith on to completion and to help us finish this race we run. BUT here’s the catch! What must we do in order for Jesus to help us finish this race? The answer is in the verse itself, “Let us fix our eyes in Jesus”.
Why? Why on Jesus? What can we learn from Him?
The verse goes on to say, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This tells us that we must use Jesus as our example and follow what He did. This is what He did and this verse says it clearly: Jesus’ mission on earth was to die on the cross and He knew that He will face a certain and a painful death on the cross. And also He knew that He will be put to shame on that cross. BUT He saw something AHEAD! Jesus saw a JOY ahead of the cross, and that is the joy of seeing His children being redeemed from death. Jesus endured the cross and He MANAGED to do so was because He saw a hope, a joy. Therefore He was exalted and sat down with God.
Verse 13 – (Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.)
To consider Him is to think about and weigh His worth. Here we are told to consider, to think about Jesus and what He did weigh His suffering. Jesus endured opposition from sinful men, and from men He loves! How dreadful it is for Jesus’ heart!
So why are we called to consider Jesus? Read on, (so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.) Bingo! We are told to think of Him, think of how He overcame His biggest hurdle and stumbling block, think about how He went through all these even though He received oppositions from men He loves! FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS so that we will NOT GROW WEARY and LOSE HEART in this race we are running.
Too many people have ran the race half way and grew weary and therefore lost heart. Too many people... And this saddens me a lot... Let us now make up our heart and mind to fix our eyes on Jesus so that we will not run blindly and aimlessly. Let us make Jesus as our aim, not wealth, not fame, not selfish love, not worldly desire, but Jesus and Jesus alone. Let us not grow weary and lose heart but let us run this race with perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4) Let us help our fellow brothers and sisters that have fallen to get back on their feet again (James 5:19)
For the year ahead,
My dear brothers and sisters, let us fix our eyes on Jesus...
God bless all.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Running with you,
Zlwin Chew
Ok ok blame me, I love to take pics - of myself... haha.
BLEK ! to 2006 and YAY ! to 2007!
At your face ! ! !
Run run run!
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